Residential Facility State Grant Overview After several years of administering the state grant as provided for in O.C.G.A. 20 2 133(b)(5), the (GaDOE) determined that there was a need for more accountability for the appropriate budgeting, use, and reimbursement of the Residential Facility State Grant funds. Since the local education agency (LEA) financial records for residential facilities served under O.C.G.A. 20 2 133(b) are subject to audits, it is important that the LEA has appropriate internal controls in place to account for funds earmarked for a residential facility served under O.C.G.A. 20 2 133(b). In accordance with the statute, the LEA is the agency responsible for the education of the eligible children in the residential facility. In order to ensure that the LEA has oversight of all grant budgets, amendments, and reimbursement requests for their approved residential facility, new procedures were put into place beginning with the 2009 2010 school year. Grant Funding Application Process The LEA and the residential facility must collaborate to develop an appropriate budget in accordance with the Local Unit of Administration (LUA) Chart of Accounts for submission to the GaDOE. The LEA will be responsible for the submission of the budget for approval by GaDOE through the GaDOE s Consolidated Application. Budget requests submitted directly to the GaDOE by residential facilities will not be accepted. The LEA superintendent must sign off on assurances through the Consolidated Application ensuring that they have collaborated with the residential facility in developing the budget. Budget Funding Use The Residential Facility State Grant funding is awarded for direct educational costs and limited related services only. This year, LEAs may also request salary and benefits for: Limited certificated behavioral counselors with detailed justification for need. An LEA liaison for oversight of the education program (Consideration for sharing the cost of this position with the LEA might be considered.) Budgets including items that are not for the direct instructional use for educating children will not be approved. Direct Educational Costs Definition All expenditures incurred for educational activities directly associated with the interaction between teachers and eligible students, including, but not limited to, salaries, wages, and benefits for teachers and paraprofessionals; costs for instructional materials and supplies; costs associated with November 6, 2015 * Page 1 of 5
classroom related activities such as field trips and equipment; and any other appropriate instructional expenses. This term shall not include costs for administration, plant operations and maintenance, food and food services, transportation, instructional support including media centers, teacher training, and student support such as nurses and guidance counselors. The following are examples of direct educational costs. Teacher salaries (Classroom teachers, Special Education teachers, etc. in direct educational instructional contact with eligible students. Eligible salaries earned during the grant period (July 1 st through June 30 th ) only. No bonus and/or stipend payments are eligible for reimbursement. Residential facilities must have on file executed contracts with individuals performing these duties. Teacher benefits responsibility portion of the residential facility FICA, Medicare, Workman s Compensation, health insurance, unemployment insurance, etc. Paraprofessional salaries (paraprofessionals in direct educational instructional contact with eligible students. Eligible salaries earned during the grant period (July 1 st through June 30 th ) only. No bonus and/or stipend payments are eligible for reimbursement. Residential facilities must have on file executed contracts with individuals performing these duties. Paraprofessional benefits FICA, Medicare, Workman s Compensation, health insurance, etc. Other Classroom personnel s salaries (Substitute teacher salaries, tutors, etc.) Eligible salaries earned during the grant period (July 1 st through June 30 th ) only. No bonus and/or stipend payments are eligible for reimbursement. Residential facilities must follow the LEA s substitute procedures ensuring adherence to State Board Rule 160 5 1.05 SUBSTITUTE TEACHERS. Other Classroom personnel s benefits FICA, Medicare, Workman s Compensation, health insurance, unemployment insurance, etc. Classroom supplies Student supplies (paper, writing utensils, notebooks, etc.) November 6, 2015 * Page 2 of 5
Instructional Supplies (disciplinary consumable supplies, lesson plan materials, record keeping materials, classroom books sets, field trip expenses, etc.) Classroom Equipment (Student and teacher desks, whiteboards, bulletin boards, etc.) Calculators Classroom Computers Educational Software (Software, software licenses for teacher/student interaction and record keeping.) Textbooks Travel costs (Limited) Education related instructional field trip transportation November 6, 2015 * Page 3 of 5
Residential Facility State Grant Budget Budget Preparation and Approval Each local education agency (LEA) liaison to a residential facility grantee should secure LEA access to the Consolidated Application in order to enter LEA approved budgets for submission to the Georgia Department of Education (GaDOE). Please contact your LEA technology office for further information. Each LEA liaison shall promptly collaborate with the residential facility personnel to develop a budget for the expenditure of awarded Residential Facility State Grant funds for the grant period of July 1 st through June 30 th each fiscal year. This budget should be developed using appropriate function and object codes according to the Local Unit of Administration (LUA) Chart of Accounts. The LUA Chart of Accounts on the GaDOE s Office of Finance and Business Operations Web page at: http://public.doe.k12.ga.us/fbo_financial.aspx?pagereq=fbofinrevcoab) An electronic sample budget document, located at http://public.doe.k12.ga.us/pea_policy.aspx?pagereq=pearesidentialtreatmentfacilities for residential facility s and LEA s use for developing and approving a budget for submission through the Consolidated Application. This form is not mandatory. It is advised that a formal budget document be created to ensure that all parties are aware of the items sent for approval by the LEA. After formal approval of the budget by the LEA, the LEA liaison should submit the approved budget for the Residential Facility State Grant through the GaDOE s Consolidated Application for approval. The GaDOE will review the budget for adherence to guidelines and will either approve the budget or will request revisions to the submitted budget. If the GaDOE requests revisions to the submitted budget, the LEA liaison and the residential facility director will continue to collaborate on the budget until an approved budget is obtained. Upon budget approval by the GaDOE, an electronic approval will be received by the LEA through the Consolidated Application. Amendments to the original budget may be made at any time through the Consolidated Application until the deadline, April 29, 2016. Amendments must still adhere to all original requirements for grant funding. The grant funding is meant to assist with the education program of the approved residential facility for the year in which it is allocated. The GaDOE advises that reimbursement requests for expended services from July 1 st until the time of budget approval be submitted immediately after budget approval is received. November 6, 2015 * Page 4 of 5
Residential Facility State Grant Budget LEA Submission through the Consolidated Application Portal 1. Secure LEA access to the Consolidated Application and to the MyGaDOE Portal. 2. Log into the MyGaDOE Portal. 3. Click on Consolidated Application located at the left side of the page. 4. Click on Application. 5. Click on Title Programs. 6. Click on the district name for the fiscal year. 7. On the Programs tab, under Add Program, select by using the pull down menu, Residential Treatment Center. Then click the Add button located on the right side of the pull down menu. 8. Click on the program name, Residential Treatment Center. At this point, you will be taken to the Budget tab (top of the page) and you are now able to view the amount of funding available to the residential facility or facilities in your district. 9. Under Add Budget Item, use the pull down menu to locate the name of the facility in your district and click the mouse. 10. You will use the budgets developed in collaboration with the residential facility or facilities to enter these function and object codes, the number of units and a concise description of the item to be budgeted. Click Add when that function and object code have been completed. 11. Continue to add items from the approved budget as described in the previous step, until the entire amount of funding is budgeted. All funding must be budgeted before it can be submitted for approval. Amendments are allowed at any time until April 29, 2016. 12. After all budget funding is entered, click on Submit button. This will send a notice to request the sign off of the Superintendent. The Superintendent will sign off on three items. a. The approval of the assurances for the administration of the grant funds. b. The approval of budget to be submitted to the GaDOE for approval. c. The prayer certification located on the tab labeled Prayer Certification. 13. It is important to check frequently to ensure that the superintendent has signed off on your submission. The GaDOE is notified only after this sign off has occurred. The Department of Education will send equal monthly payments to the LEA to be distributed to the residential facilities. November 6, 2015 * Page 5 of 5